Ice cube remover



April-5, 1932. E. D, RosENBERG ICE CUBE REMOVER Filed Dec. 1l. 1929 2Sheets-Sheet FIIE J INVENToR. Edgar D. ,Qasznbz/"g @5.2:

April 5, 1932 E. D. RosENBERG 1,852,064

ICE CUBE REMOVER Filed Dec. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Q/gar D.Hofer/berg www? , A TTORNEYS.

Fatented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDGAR ROBENBEG, F SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RAPHAEL SAMPSON, OFOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA Ica cuan amovzsa Application ma nember n, 192s.serial No. 413,223.

In partitioned ice trays of the type commonly employed in householdelectric refrigerators, diliculty is often encountered in attempting torelease ice cubes from the tray. A common method'of separating the cubesfrom the tray is to pour warm water ab'out the tray, but this method isunsanitary as well Y as inconvenient for the reason that the ice cubesare scattered about and frequently fall in unclean places. In thepractice of my invention, the cubes areA released in a convenient,sanitary and expeditious manner and a receptacle is .providedV forcatching the released cubes.

' It is an object ofthis invention to devise means for releasing icecubes from a tray.

Another object 1s to devise a tray from I,which ice cubes may be removedin a convenf ient and sanitary manner.

Another object is to devise means for heating the walls of an icecubetray.

Another object is to devise electrical means for facilitating removal ofice cubes from a tray. A further object is toI devise means forcompleting the operating electrical circuit in a tray of this type.

A further object is to ydevise means for automatically breaking theoperating'elec- 3 trical circuit when the cubes have been released.

A further object is to devise means for facilitating the collection anddisposal of re? leased ice cubes.

5 A still further object is to devise means for protecting theelectrical terminals of a tray of this type Vfrom injury and from theformation of ice and frost thereon.

other Oblects and advantages wlu appear@ rounding plate A15 and forming'the outside shell of tray is a sheet metal casing 20. A

| from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment ofmy invention. Attention'is directed to the accompanying drawings inwhichz.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ice tray i of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view Showing a modiiication of one of the heatingelements of the 1nvention.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 I of Fig. 4. l

6 shows a modification in perspective. Fig. 7 1s a perspective viewshowing the chamber, ice tray and scoop of this invention in assembledrelation.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a cross-section taken on line 99 of Fig. 7 l

Fig. 10 is a perspective 'view of the scoop of the invention.`

3, the sides 13 and 14 of each wall being separated at theirlower endsto form a sheath for an electrical heating ele-ment 18. Strips 16 and 17of mica or other heat resisting insulating material are disposed withinAthe sheath and'around element 18 to insulate ele- "ment 18 from walls 13and 14 of the sheath and from the inside plate l5 of the base of thetray. Plate is bent to form the inside of the'base and the surroundingwalls of the tray and has a rolled over' edge 19. Surspace is providedbetweeninside plate -15 and outside casing20 for housing heatingelements 24 disposed between insulating sheets 21 and 22. Casing4 20 ispressed inwardly at' its edges 23 and secured in any suitable man ner toplate 15.

Heating elements 18 and 24 are provided with insulated terminals 25 and26 which are adapted to be connected to a source ofcurrent. When acircuit is completed for heating elements 18 and 24, partitioning walls11 and 12 and inside casing 15of the tray` become heated and` melt theadhering surfaces of the ice cubes allowing removal of the ice cubes byinverting the tray. Walls 11 are heated directly by heating elements 18and walls 12 become hot by conduction of heat from walls 11. Walls 11and 12 are secured at .their extremities to inside' casing 15 of thetray and therefore will not be disturbed when the tray is inverted.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a modification has been shown in which each heatingelement is in the form of a coil. In this construction, sides 13 and 14of each longitudinal partitioning wall form at their lower end a sheathsuiti able for housing an electrical heating element 27 of helicalshape. Surrounding element 27 is a refractory tube 28 for insulatingelement 27 from the adjacent metallic parts of the tray. In thismodification the partitioning walls of the tray become yhot byconduction of heat from heating element 27.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification in which a heating element 29having terminals 30 and 31 is located in a chamber adapted toreceive anice cube tray. In this modificav tion the tray is inserted in thechamber until the adhering surfaces of the ice cubes melt and uponwithdrawal of the tray the ice cubes may be removed'by inverting thetray.

A chamber 32 provided with a scoop 33 is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 andis adapted to be used in conjunction with the tray shown in Fig. 1. Whentray 10 is inverted and pushed into chamber 32 along a shelf 37,contacts 25 and 26 of heating elements 18 and 24 engage complementaryterminals 34 located inside of e the chamber. Leads 35 and 36 connecttermi- .nals 34 to a suitable source of current which preferably is thelocal source of commercial current. When the adhering surfaces of theice cubes have-been melted the ice cubes drop into scoop 33. Scoop 33 isprovided with a handle 38 and arelatively narrow end por-.

tion 39 to facilitate removal and disposal of the ice cubes. A spring 40is located at the rear end of chamber 32 andis adapted to abut againstthe end of tray 10 when it is Spring 40 is of suicient size to urge tray10 outwardly and thereby disengage terminals 25 and 26 from connectors34 when the tray is empty, but is of insuiicient strength to move thetray when the tray is loaded with ice cubes. Spring 40 prevents waste ofcurrent by breaking the contacts when the heating elements have per-'formed their function and'also affords a visual indication to theoperator by causing the i tenaces tray to extend Afrom the chamber when:u

protective covering 41 for terminals 25 and 26. Protectivev covering 41may be a dummy socket which fits securely over terminals 25 and 26 andit may or may not be secured to the rear wall 42 of arefrigerator.. Ifdesired an operative socket secured to wall 42 may be employed for thispurpose and for the purpose of enabling the tray 10 to be thawed out onthose occasions when the tray has become frozen in the refrigerator. Inthe latter case, some form of switch (not shown) would be desirable toturn the current to the'heating elements off and on so that the heatingelements may be made inoperative while ice is being made.

In the operation of the device, tray 10 is inverted and inserted inchamber 32 whereupon a circuit is completed for heating ele-V ments 18and 24. The ice cubes are released and dro iiito scoop. 33 and spring 40then becomes e ective to push tray 10 outwardly to break the connectionstothe heating elements. It is to be understood that I do not limit'myself to the specific embodiment of the ice cube remover shown anddescribed herein, as the invention, as set forth in the following claimsmay be embodied in a plurality of 4 forms.

heatin elements disposed within the walls ofsai partitions, plugterminals for said y heating elements extending from one endof saidtray, a chamber adapted to receive said tray and socket connectors insaid chamber adapted .to register with said plug terminals.

2. In a device for freeing ice cubes, a tray having a plurality ofpartitions, electrical heatin elementsv disposed within the walls .ofsai partitions, plug terminals for said heating elements extending fromone end of said tray, a chamber adapted to receivel said tray and socketconnectors in said chamber adapted to register with said plug terminals,

and a removable scoop in said chamber for collecting released ice cubes.

3. In a device for freeing ice cubes, a tray ,having a plurality ofpartitions for molding ice cubes, electrical heating elements disposedwithin the walls of said partitions, a chamber adaptedto receive saidltray in an inverted position, electrical contacts'in said chamber forsaid heating elements, spring means in a direction from said contacts,said spring means being incapable of moving said tray when loade withice cubes but of suilicient strength to move said tray when empty.

Asaid chamber tending to urge said tray in l adapted 4. In a tray formolding ice cubes having a plurality of' partitions, partitioning wallsbetween said partitions, means for freeing ice cubes from saidpartitions comprising electrical heating elements disposed within saidpartitions, terminals for said heating elements extending froni saidtray and -protecting means covering said terminals.

5. In a device for freeing ice cubes2 a tray for molding ice cubes,electrical heatlng elements for heating said tray, terminals on saidtray for said heating elementsl a chamber to receive saidtrayand'complementary terminals in said chamber adapted to register with theterminals on said tray.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand,

EDGAR D. ROSENBERG.

